Internal-combustion engine



June 10 1924. M. S. NAPIER INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Jan. 12

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M. s. NA I R INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Jan. 12. 1923 a Sheets-Sheet 5 wvemiib:

Patented June 10, 1924.

MONTAGUE STANLEY NAPIER, OF CANNES, FRANCE, ASSIGNOER: TO I). NAPIER & SON LIMITED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, A COMPANY OF GREAT BRITAIN.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Application filed January 12, 1923. Serial No. 612,271.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known'that I, MONTAGUE STANLEY NAPIER, a subject of the King of England, and residing at Cannes, Alpes-Maritimes,

France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is 'a specification.

This invention relates to multicylinder internal combustion engines of the kind in face-preferablyarranged in two concentric rowsto engage directly the pinions on the radiating shafts through which the cam shafts are driven, but in addition carries an additional row of teeth, on the other bevelled face thereof, this additional row meshing directly with a pinion on the-shaft from which the water and oil circulating pumps and such auxiliary apparatus are driven. By this arrangement the pinions on the inner ends of the radiating shafts can lie in difierent planes and therefore overlap in the known manner and it is further possible to enclose in a single casing all the driving gear for these shafts as well as that for the 40pumps, magnetos and like auxiliaryapparatus,

y In a preferred arrangement the third or additional row of teeth on the'compound pinion meshes with a bevel pinion keyed to 4.5 a vertical shaft disposed immediately below the crank shaft and at right angles thereto. This vertical shaft carries a spiral gear wheel by means of which the oil pumps of any suitable construction are driven while the lower end of the shaft is directly connected to the spindle of a centrifugal water circulating pump.

Keyed to the outer end of the crank shaft extension is a spiral gear wheel which engages with corresponding spiral wheels on transverse shafts by means of which the magnetos are driven. The'spiral gear wheel on the crank shaft extension preferably engages two cross shafts one above and one below'it so as to enable either the generators or dynamo to be connected tothe lower cross shaft and the distributors to the upper cross shaft or vice versa.'

A construction of internal combustion engine. according to this invention is illushated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in sectlon. V V

Figure 2 is an end elevation also partly in secgiion showing the cam shaft driving gear an Figure 3 is a sectional plan on an enlarged scale taken'on the line 33 of Figure 1.

In the construction illustrated the engine comprises four blocks each of four cylinders arranged so as to radiate from the crank shaft A in the manner illusrated in Figure 2 that is to say the angle between theupper groups of cylinders B B is considerably. less than that between the lower groups or blocks B B Each group of cylinders is provided with an overhead cam shaft- C and these cam shafts are rotated by driving shafts which radiate from the crank shaft. Alternatively if desired each group of cylinders may have two cam shafts geared togetherin some known manner. The shafts O by which the cam shafts for the three groups of cylinders B B B are driven lie in a vertical plane closer to the cylindersthan theremaining driving shaft 0 whereby the cam shaft forthe group'of cylinders B is driven. At their lower ends the driving shafts G are each provided with similar bevel pinions C the shaft C carrying a larger pinion C i Keyed to the crank shaft A is a compoundbevel pinion D having upon one face two concentric rows of teeth D D and upon another face at an angle to the first face a 'third row of teeth D hereafter described.

The outer row. of teeth D mesh with the bevel pinion C while the inner row of teeth engage the pinions C All four cam driving shafts C C are thus directly driven from a single bevel pinion keyed to the crank shaft. v r I I The bevel pinions G C are carried in removable housings 0 connected by a spigot joint to sockets N in the rear end cover N of the crank case and the driving shafts C C are formed in two parts and fitted with sleeve couplings in the known manner to enable the cylinders to be readily detached from the crank case. p

Mounted directly below the crank shaft extension A. and at right angles thereto is a vertical shaft E carrying at its upper end a bevel pinion E which meshes with the teeth D on the compound bevel pinion D. Near its lower end the shaft E carries a spiral gearE and connected to the lower end of the shaft E by means of a jaw coupling or the like is the spindle F of a centrifugal water circulating pump. The pump casing F is bolted directly to the underside A of therear end cover N of the crank casing so that when the connecting bolts (not shown) are removed the water pump can be readily disconnected without interfering with its driving shaft E.

The spiral gear wheel E near the lower end of the shaft E engages with the spiral wheels G on the oil pump gear shafts G G. Two oil suction pumps H (see Figure are provided which are of the ordinary spur gear type and these pumps are connected to the oil sump A (Figure 1) one pump being connected to the forward end of the sump through the branch H and the other to the rear end of the sump through the branch HF of a collecting pipe H By this arrangement the delivery of oil from the sump into the oil tank is rendered independent of any fore and aft inclination of the engine.

The oil for lubricating the engine is circulated by means of a pump J which is also of the spur type, and which receives its drive from the pump shaft G through a jaw clutch or dog and slot connection J the manner in which the oil is distributed both to the plain bearings of the crank shaft and through the hollow cam shafts forming no part of the present invention.

Connected to the pump shaft G by means of a dog and slot connection K is a spindle K by means of which a tachometer (not shown) is conveniently driven through spiral gearing K Keyed or otherwise secured to the outer end of the crank shaft extension A is a spiral gear wheel L which engages the spiral wheels M on the magneto cross shafts M M disposed respectively above and below the spiral wheel L. Themagnetos or distributors for battery ignition are connected inany convenient manner in accordance with the engine requirements so that for instance when battery ignition is used the generators or dynamos are connected to the lower drive shaft M and the distributors to the upper cross shaft M.

The engine above described is particularly designed for use with aircraft and it is to be understood that the constructional details are capableof considerable modification without departing from this invention.

What ll claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In an internal combustion engine, having cylinders radiating from the crank shaft, the combination of a plurality of driving shafts radiating from the crank shaft but not all lying in the same vertical plane, an overhead cam shaft driven by each of said radial shafts, a bevel pinion on the inner end. of each racial shaft, auxiliary apparatus adjacent the crank shaft, a driving pinion for such apparatus and a compound bevel pinion on the crank shaft having teeth on one bevelled face meshing directly with the bevel pinions on the radial shafts and a separate row of teeth on the other bevelled face meshing directly with the driving pinion of the auxiliary apparatus.

2. In an internal combustion engine having cylinders radiating from the crank shaft, the combination of a plurality of driving shafts radiating from the crank shaft but not all lying in the same vertical plane, an overhead cam shaft driven by each of said. radial shafts, a bevel pinion on the inner end of each radial shaft, auxiliary apparatus adjacent the crank shaft, a driving pinion for such apparatus, a compound bevel pinion on the crank shaft having teeth on one bevelled face meshing directly with the bevel pinions on the radial shafts and a separate row of teeth on the other bevelled face mesh ing with the driving pinion for the auxiliary apparatus, and a single casing enclosing the auxiliary apparatus, the compound bevel pinion and all pinions meshing therewith.

3. In an internal combustion engine having cylinders radiating from the crank shaft the combination of a plurality of drivin shafts radiating from the crank shaft but not all lying in the same vertical plane, an overhead cam shaft driven by each of said radial shafts, a bevel pinion on the inner end of each radial shaft, auxiliary apparatus adjacent the crank shaft, a (ilriving pinion for such apparatus and a compound bevel pinion on the crank shaft having two rows of teeth on one bevelled face each meshing directly with at least one of the bevel pinions on the radial shafts and a separate row of teeth on the other bevelled face meshing directly with the driving pinion for the auxiliary apparatus. v

4. In an internal combustion engine hav ing cylinders radiating from the crank shaft, the combination of a plurality of drivin shafts radiating from the crank shaft but not all lying in the same vertical plane, an overhead cam shaft driven by each of said radial shafts, a bevel pinion on the inner end of each radial shaft, oil and water circulating pumps adjacent the crank shaft, a vertical driving shaft for said pumps, a bevel pinion on said driving shaft and a compound bevel pinion on the crank shaft having two rows of teeth on one bevelled face meshing directly with the pinions on the radial shafts and a third row of teeth on the other bevelled face meshing directly with the pinion on the vertical driving shaft for the pumps.

5. In an internal combustion engine havr. ing cylinders radiating from the crank shaft, the combination of a plurality of driving shafts radiating from the crank shaft but not all lying in the same vertical plane, an overhead cam shaft driven by each of said radial shafts, a bevel pinion on the inner end of each radial shaft, a water cir culating pump adjacent to the crank shaft, a vertical driving shaft therefor directly connected thereto, spiral gearing on the vertical shaft, an oil pump driven through said spiral gearing, a bevel pinion on the vertical shaft and a compound bevel pinion on the crank shaft having two rows of teeth on one bevelled face meshing directly with the pin- 30 ions on the radial shafts and a third row of teeth on the other bevelled face meshing directly with the pinion on the vertical driving shaft.

6. In an internal combustion engine having cylinders radiating from the crank shaft, the combination of a plurality of driving shafts radiating from the crank shaft but not all 1 ing in the same vertical plane, an overhea cam shaft driven by each of said radial shafts, a bevel pinion on the inner end of each radial shaft, a water circulating pump adjacent to the crank shaft, a vertical driving shaft therefor directly connected thereto, spiral gearing on the vertical shaft, an oil pump driven through said spiral gearing, a bevel pinion on the vertical shaft, a compound bevel pinion on the crank shaft having two rows of teeth on one bevelled face meshing directly with the pinions on the radial shafts and a third row of teeth on the other bevelled face meshing directly with the pinion on the pump driving shaft and a single casing enclosing the oil pump, the pump driving shaft, the compound bevel pinion and all the pinions meshing therewith.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

MONTAGUE STANLEY NAPIER. 

